By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “The New Beginning in Osaka”
February 11, 2023 in Osaka, Japan at Edion Arena
Streamed on New Japan World
Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton provided live commentary. This is a large building with 4,000 in attendance.
1. Great-O-Khan and Aaron Henare defeated Toru Yano and Oskar Leube at 6:38. Leube and Henare opened, then Yano and O-Khan squared off at 2:00, with O-Khan applying a claw to Yano’s gut, and Toru shreaking in pain. Kelly and Charlton again use the early match to talk about the upcoming New Japan Cup tournament and speculated who would be in it. Henare nailed his running football tackle on Leube for the pin. What you’d expect here.
* O-Khan got on the mic and said he’s not hearing the tributes he should be hearing.
2. “Los Ingobernobles de Japon” Sanada, Bushi, Tetsuya Naito, and Hiromu Takahashi defeated Ryusuke Taguchi, Honma, Tiger Mask, and Shota Umino at 8:43. Bushi and Tiger Mask started. Sanada and Honma entered at 1:00, and Sanada applied the Paradise Lock, but Honma was so oily, he escaped it! Funny. Naito entered and tied up with Honma, and he too wiped his hands on his shirt, indicating how greasy and gross Honma is. Shota entered at 4:00 and hit a flying forearm on Sanada, then a fisherman’s suplex on Naito for a nearfall. Hiromu entered and traded some good offense with Shota.
Taguchi and Honma hit simultaneous Kokeshi falling headbutts on Hiromu for a nearfall. Taguchi applied an anklelock on Hiromu. LIJ hit a four-way dropkick spot on Taguchi. Bushi hit a dive to the floor on Shota. Hiromu hit the Time Bomb 2 sideslam on Taguchi for the pin. Fun match that felt like lucha rules; everyone moved in and out quickly and they didn’t have a prolonged beatdown of anyone leading to a hot tag.
* The lights went out and the crowd popped. Lio Rush appeared on the screen (he’s not there live, as he’s in the Jersey Cup tournament later today.) Rush challenged Hiromu Takahashi to a match. “I’m a different man than who I used to be. I’m dangerous,” he said. “I promise you I will be successful in what my partner Yoh couldn’t do, and that’s beat you.” He concluded by saying, “I’ll see you soon.” Hiromu grabbed the mic and accepted the challenge for his title. Hiromu wondered if LIo was there (he’s not!), and he sprinted to the back to search for him. Good segment.
3. Taiji Ishimori defeated Master Wato at 11:19. They fought to the floor at 1:00 and Ishimori slammed Wato shoulder-first into the ring post. In the ring, Ishimori slammed him into the corner and immediately focused on the left arm. Wato hit a headscissors takedown at 4:30, then a flip dive to the floor. In the ring, Wato nailed his springboard forearm, and he applied his submission hold around the neck, but Ishimori reached the ropes. Ishimori fired back with a handspring-back-spin kick, and they were both down at 7:00.
Ishimori hit his sliding German Suplex, but he missed a top-rope 450 Splash. He again slammed Wato shoulder-first into the corner, drawing loud boos. Ishimori nailed a shoulderbreaker over his knee, and he applied a Bone Lock/modified STF. Wato nailed a high German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall at 10:00. Ishimori hit a clothesline and his Bloody Cross/lungblower move to the chin for the pin. Good match.
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kenta at 13:56. Kenta attacked from behind as Hiroshi was posing. The commentary team talked about how Tanahashi has missing top front teeth today; his fake ones apparently fell out and he hasn’t had them replaced yet. Kenta kept him grounded early, then some spin kicks to the chest at 5:30. Hiroshi hit his second-rope summersault senton for a nearfall, and the crowd came alive. Kenta hit a Mafia Kick.
The ref got bumped. Kenta hit a DDT; he went under the ring and got a chair, with the crowd booing him. He jabbed it into Hiroshi’s stomach, then he slammed it across his back at 8:00. However, he missed a top-rope doublestomp, and Hiroshi tripped Kenta onto the folded chair. Kenta then did the drop-toe-hold, sending Tanahashi face-first on the folded chair. They traded forearms while on their knees, then from the standing position.
Kenta placed Tanahashi’s feet on the middle rope and he hit a DDT at 10:30. Kenta hit a dropkick into the corner, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall. Tanahashi immediately hit the Twist-and-Shout swinging neckbreaker, and he was fired up. Kenta hit a Shotgun dropkick, then a running kneestrike for a nearfall. Kenta began nailing some open-hand slaps to the side of the face at 12:30. He set up for the Go To Sleep but Tanahashi escaped and hit a Sling Blade clothesline for a nearfall. Tanahashi nailed a top-rope crossbody block, then the top-rope frogsplash for the pin. Good match.
* The ring announcer said that if the House of Torture does not defend the six-man titles here, they will be stripped of the belts. We then had a nice video package of the feud.
5. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, and Ren Narita defeated “House of Torture” EVIL, Sho, and Yujiro Takahashi (w/Dick Togo) to win the IWGP Six-Man Tag Titles at 14:17. The HoT attacked Narita from behind on the ramp, and all six brawled on the floor. (I start my stopwatch at first contact.) EVIL got on the mic and said he was insulted of any talk of them being stripped of the belts. The bell sounded at about 1:30 to officially start the match, with the HoT were just stomping on the challengers. Charlton pointed out that Narita is knocked out on the entrance ramp.
Sho and Desperado traded offense after the ref finally got everyone out of the ring. Minoru made the hot tag at 5:00 and hit some forearm shots on Sho. The HoT began working over Suzuki in their corner. Suzuki dropped EVIL with a forearm at 10:00, and he tagged in Ren, who had recovered and made it to the ring apron. Ren hit some hard Yes Kicks to EVIL’s chest, then a Northern Lights suplex for a nearfall on EVIL.
Yujiro entered and hit a fisherman’s buster suplex on Narita for a nearfall at 12:00. Desperado entered and hit a spinebuster on Yujiro. All six began brawling as the ref has lost control again. Narita applied a mid-ring Octopus on Yujiro; Togo distracted the ref while Yujiro was tapping out. Desperado tied Sho in the Stretch Muffler. Narita again applied the Octopus stretch, and Yujiro tapped out. New champs! (Again, official time is like 12:50.)
* Minoru Suzuki got on the mic and told the HoT to “get the hell out of here.” He thanked the crowd and said they are ‘strong style.’ We then roll to another video showing the build-up to the next match.
6. Hikuleo (w/Jado) defeated Jay White (w/Gedo) in a Loser Leaves Japan match at 25:07. Hikuleo hit a Mafia Kick early and was in control. They brawled to the floor at 3:00. Kevin Kelly pointed out how no Bullet Club members except Gedo came to ringside, and he wondered if and when they’ll appear. Hikuleo whipped White over the guardrail and into the crowd. White speared Hikuleo into the guardrail at 7:00; he yelled at the referee to begin counting. (Why hadn’t the ref been counting for the past four minutes?) Hikuleo crawled into the ring, but White immediately stomped on him and took control.
Hikuleo dropped White face-first on the top turnbuckle and he hit a clothesline, then a Stinger Splash and a running Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall at 10:30. White snapped Hikuleo’s throat across the top rope, then he chop-blocked the left knee, and Hikuleo fell to the mat and screamed in pain. White hit a Flatliner faceplant at 12:30 and a Saito Suplex. White hit a swinging neckbreaker for a one-count. Charlton said the crowd didn’t want either man to lose the match. White stayed focused on the damaged left knee.
While the ref was distracted, White hit four chairshots to the back at 16:00. White hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. White hit a series of deafening chops as Hikuleo was on his knees. Hikuleo finally hit a chop that dropped White. Hikuleo hit a series of chops, and they were suddenly both down. Hikuleo nailed a powerslam at 21:00, and he set up for a chokeslam, but White fought out of it, but the ref got bumped. White immediately hit a low blow. Hikuleo hit a clothesline, and he set up for another powerslam, but White nailed the Blade Runner swinging faceplant, and they were both down.
White set up for a second Blade Runner, but Hikuleo blocked it and hit a massive standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 23:30. White struggled to his feet and begged off, as he held up the “Too Sweet” hand gesture. Hikuleo gave him the “Too Sweet” hand gesture back, but then Hikulo hit a chokeslam for the pin. “The end of an era!” Kelly said. Charlton said a huge “power vacuum” has opened in the Bullet Club.
7. Tama Tonga defeated El Phantasmo to retain the NEVER Openweight Title at 27:29. Both men are really hot right now, as ELP has put on the added muscle mass in the past year to move into the heavyweight division. They brawled early, and Tama hit a plancha to the floor at 4:00. Tama leapt over the guardrail; ELP moved, and Tama crashed into the rows of chairs. ELP slammed a damaged right wrist on a table and he stomped on it. In the ring, Tama hit a punch but sold that it caused him pain. This is good but a bit methodical early on, indicating we are going long. Tama nailed a Stinger Splash in the corner for a nearfall at 9:00.
Phantasmo missed a Lionsault press, but he hit a dive between the ropes to the floor at 12:30. ELP hit a springboard moonsault to the floor; he pushed Tama back into the ring. Tama hit a trio of Dragonscrew Legwhips as ELP was in the ropes. Tama applied a Sharpshooter at 16:00, but Phantasmo reached the ropes. Phantasmo hit a swinging faceplant, and they were both down. ELP hit some open-hand slaps to the face, and they traded punches. This match is good, but it feels like the crowd is deflated after the prior match.
Tama hit a Superman punch and his rolling Death Valley Driver. Tama nailed a top-rope frogsplash for a believable nearfall at 20:00. Tama went for the Gun Stun, but ELP caught him and avoided it. Tama hit a TKO stunner for a believable nearfall. Phantasmo nailed a Styles Clash for a believable nearfall; the crowd ‘ohhhed’ in reaction as ELP set up for the move. Tama nailed a brainbuster for a nearfall. He went for another Gun Stun, but ELP caught him with a Superkick for a believable nearfall at 23:20.
Phantasmo rolled to the floor and grabbed the NEVER title belt. the ref took it. ELP hit his modified Styles Clash move for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it! Phantasmo set up for a Superkick, but Tama blocked it and hit a Gun Stun for a believable nearfall, and I thought that was it! Really good reversals here. Tama hit a butterfly-arm sit-out piledriver for the pin. It was listed as a Jay Driller on the NJPW website. (It is like he was setting up for a Christopher Daniels “Angels Wings” move, but instead of a faceplant, he dropped ELP on the top of his head. It looked a bit scary because I wasn’t expecting him to land that way.) That was a really, really good match.
* At times during the show, Charlton and Kelly talked about how Okada hasn’t accepted a match yet against NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya. I wasn’t thinking this going into the show, but I’m wondering if we see Kaito interfere in this match, or show up afterward. Let’s see…
8. Kazuchika Okada defeated Shingo Takagi to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at 32:06. An intense lockup to begin. Shingo hit a shoulder tackle at 4:00. He backed Okada into the corner and hit some loud chops. Okada hit a dropkick as Shingo was seated on the top turnbuckle at 6:30, and Shingo collapsed to the floor. In the ring, Okada grounded Shingo with a headlock; the crowd booed Okada when he didn’t release the hold after Shingo reached the ropes! Okada applied the Money Clip submission hold, but Shingo escaped at 10:00.
Shingo hit a back suplex and was fired up. They brawled back to the floor, where Shingo whipped Okada into the guardrails. Shingo nailed a Death Valley Driver on the floor at 13:30. Okada rolled back in the ring at the 18-count. (Shouldn’t he have taken the count-out win to retain the title?) Shingo immediately hit a hard clothesline in the corner at 15:00, then a top-rope Superplex. Shingo set up for the Made In Japan pumphandle slam, but Okada escaped. Okada nailed a neckbreaker over his knee, and they were both down at 17:00, and the crowd was really hot now. They went back to the floor, where Okada nailed a Tombstone Piledriver, and they were both down.
Back in the ring, Okada went back to the Money Clip. Okada hit a top-rope elbow drop at 21:00, but he couldn’t hit the Rainmaker. He hit a dropkick, but Shingo popped up and hit his own Rainmaker short-arm clothesline, and they were both down. They got up and began trading stiff forearm shots. Shingo nailed a kneedrop on the back of the head at 23:30. Shingo hit a Made in Japan pumphandle slam for a nearfall, and they were both down as we hear the 25-minute warning. Shingo set up for a Styles Clash, but instead dropped Okada on his shoulders for a nearfall. Shingo nailed the Pumping Bomber clothesline.
Okada got a rollup for a believable nearfall, then he nailed the Rainmaker clothesline, and they were both down at 27:00. Okada hit a German Suplex, but he missed a Rainmaker. Okada hit a bodyslam. Shingo nailed the Last of the Dragon sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall, and they were both down at 29:00, and the crowd was going nuts. Okada hit an enziguri. Shingo nailed a Dragon Suplex, but Okada popped up and hit a dropkick. Shingo hit a hard clothesline; Okada hit a clothesline. Okada hit a Bulldog Powerslam, then a Rainmaker for the pin. Really, really good match.
* Okada got on the mic and thanked the crowd for the support. He thanked Shingo and said they should “absolutely do it again.” Shingo acknowledged what he said, then he vanished to the back. He said he now needs an opponent for next week in San Jose, Calif. He called out Hiroshi Tanahashi, who was seated at ringside doing commentary. Tanahashi got in the ring and accepted the challenge. Okada told him it would be “his last shot.” They both posed. Tanahashi left the ring. The confetti cannons went off to cover Okada in gold streamers.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event. Like last week, I never thought Okada was losing here, which brought down the match just a notch, but it was really, really good stuff. Unlike last week when Naito-Shota set a slower pace as they were clearly going long, I never felt like Okada-Shingo had a slow start, as they kept it in high gear for the full final 20 minutes. I predicted some NOAH interference, and I’m glad to say I was wrong. We didn’t need a cop-out finish here.
Hikuleo had the huge win, the big performance, I thought he was going to get versus Karl Anderson when they fought for the NEVER Openweight Title in December. This was a statement win for him against Jay White. I don’t claim to understand White’s contract status. Will he keep fighting only on New Japan shows in the United States? Or is he headed to AEW or WWE? While it was a loser leave Japan match… does he really not return? How long can he really stay away?
Phantasmo vs. Tama Tonga was absolutely fantastic. Both have had such a great run in the past year. I do question why this match was after the ‘loser leave Japan’ match, and they definitely were dealing with a deflated crowd early on, but they really won them over.
New Japan keeps rolling with the “Battle in the Valley” event next weekend in California, and all the speculation over the matchups for the upcoming New Japan Cup.
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